Chain-wrapping machine



Jan. 1 1927.

1 c. E. HUTCHISON CHAIN WRAPPING MACHINE Filed April 25, 1926 25', Wwy

Patented Jan. 11, 1927.

UNHED STATES I I 1, 13, PATENT OFFICE' CHARLES EGBERT HUTCHISON, .OIl MOUNT HOLLY, NORTH CAROLINA.

CHAIN-WRAPPING MACHINE.

Application filed April 23, 1926. Serial No. 104,184.

This invention relates to a machine for winding a thread around a travelling chain preparatory to mercerizing or bleaching, or other wet treatment of the warps. Such a machine .is usually known as a straw winder and'the type of machine is shown in the Rhoades Patent No. 1,518,120, December 2, 192 1. Ordinarily the cones, balls or spools of string or thread used for winding the warp chain for this purpose are not, and cannot be, of sufficient size to wind an entire run of warps. At the present time the mercerizing machine or the like has to stand idle while a set of warps is going through the straw winder. This is due to the fact that the cones have to be changed and new ones put on to complete the run of the warps. This occurs at intervals and the aggregate loss in efficiency of the mercerizing machines amounts to a great deal.

The principal object of this invention is to avoid this loss and thereby secure maximum efliciency of the mercerizing apparatus. I accomplish this by providing a very simple and inexpensive means for supporting cones in such a position that much larger cones can be used than has been the case heretofore, so large, in fact, that they will contain enough thread or string to wind a full run of warps. In this way the warp chain being wound completely before being runinto the mercerizing machine, the latter can operate on the whole strand without being stopped for changing the cones. This invention also can be applied to the ordinary types of straw winders on the market without restricting them in size or output or making any alterations of importance in them.

Other objects and advantages of the in ventionwill appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had tothe accompanying drawings, in which a Fig. 1 is a side view of an ordinary strawwinder provided with a preferred form of this invention; I

Fig. 2 is a plan of the same, .and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of one of the spindles and associated parts showing the features of this invention in elevation.

I have shown the invention as applied to a winding machine in which thewarp chain W is brought up through ahollow tube or shaft 10 and the thread or string T is wound 011 the chain, as indicated at the top in Fig. 3. It will be understood that this chain conenough for the above purpose.

sists' as usual of from one to four warps, each containing-usually 378 ends for connection with an equal number of spindles on a quiller, on which. machine they are-wound on quills after the mercerizing operation. The string is used as usual to keep the warps in one strand and hold them together throughout the mercerizing operation. As ordinarily constructed on the bed of the machine, there is a flange 11 that projects up and surrounds the rotary disc supports 12 for the spoolsor balls S of thread. Therefore the'diameter of the spool is limited substantially to the radius of this supporting disc 12.

According to my invention I secure on the disc 12, at the point where a conical stud or-spindle 13 is usually placed, a bracket 14. This is in the form of a flat plate or arm having a circular hub at one end, higherthan the fiange,thr0ugh which a bolt 15 passes to secure it to the support or disc 12.

Thus the fiat plateor arm projects out over theflange 11 during rotation and is located entirely above it. At its end, I provide a perforation through which I secure the usual stud or spindle 13 for centering and holding the spool S or ball of thread. The length of this arm can be made great enough so, that the amount of thread on the spool S can-take care of a whole run of warps. This can be done without interfering with the other spindles and Without increasing the distance apart of the units of the machine. In other words, in the same space that ordinarily is occupied I get room by this means for placing a spool S large The spoo or cop overhangs the next disc 12.

In order to provide for properly guiding I the thread, I provide the usual winding arm or plate 16 with an extension 17 in the form of afiat plate) This is secured by a bolt 18 through a perforation in the plate 16 which heretofore has served as a guide eye and I provide the plate 17 with a guide eye near the end; It will be noted that the two .bolts 15 and 18 are both located where ordinarily there is a perforation through the plates that support them. 'Ihisperforation in one casehas been used heretofore for the reception ofthe spindle or cone 13 and in the other place as a guide eye for the thread. Therefore they have a certain definite relative location, the former being a little farther from the center than the latter. I extend the capacity of the machine by providing the bracket 14 and the plate 17 and having the distance between the perforations in them, which serve for receiving the respective bolts and perforations at their outer ends, substantially the same. In this way the relative proportions of the original ma chine are not materially changed and the thread is guided to the strand of warps W at substantially the same angle as heretofore and in a very similar manner. Thus the invention introduces no complications in operation.

It will be understood, of course, that in the form shown, the several tubes 10 are rotated by gears 20 and pinions 21 in the usual way from a vertical shaft 22 which is well understood and will not be described in detail. The binder support 12 and the guide a plate 16 rotate with the tube 10 to carry the thread around the warp in the usual way.

After mercerizing, the warps are put on unwinding and splitting machines and the string taken off and the warp separated.

These warps then are put on aquilling machine to be taken off on an individual spool for each warp.

in this way the ordinary machines on the market can be altered with a minimum of expense in such a way as to very greatly increase the product of the whole plant. By using this appliance, spools, cones, or balls can be put on large enough to take care of a full run of warps and the mercerizing machine does not have to stand idle while one set of warps is going through to have new cones put on to complete the run, as has been the case heretofore. The winding machine also is kept running more continuously than heretofore. T he device has proved of great value in mercerizing and dyeing plants and is capable of use wherever similar processes are carried out.

Although I have illustrated and described only a single form of the invention I am aware of the fact that modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore I do not wish to be limited to all the details of construction herein shown and de scribed but what I do claim is 1. In a winding machine for wrapping a plurality of warps, the combination with a plurality of hollow rotary tubes or sleeves for receiving warp chains longitudinally through them, and discs at the bottom, ro tatable with the tubes, of means on the discs for, supporting a cone or spool of thread at a point beyondthe periphery of the disc and overlapping the next disc, and means carried by each tube for guiding the thread from said spool.

2. In a winding machine, the combination with a bed having a depression surrounded by a flange or wall, a hollow rotary tube or sleeve carried thereby for receiving a warp chain longitudinally through it, a rotary disc at the top of the bed located within said flange, and a rotary plate at the top, of means on the disc for supporting a cone or spool cured thereon for directly supporting a spool or the like of thread for winding the warps, of means located on said disc and fixed thereto in the perforation for supporting the spool or cone of thread at a higher elevation and at a point beyond said flange, whereby the cone or spool is supported at a greater distance from the tube and suflicient thread can be wound thereon to wind a full run of warps.

ft. An attachment for a straw winder comprising a plate or arm having a perforation for receiving a stud or spindle and ahub at a distance from said perforation, and means for attaching said hub to the supporting disc of a straw winder at the point at which the disc ordinarily supports the cone or stud, whereby a cone or spool of thread'can be supported by said supporting disc at a point beyond its periphery over a part of an adjacent disc on the machine.

5. An attachment for a straw winder comprising a flat plate having a perforation at one end for receiving a stud or spindle and provided with a hub at the other end adapted to rest on the supporting disc of the straw winder, and means for attaching said hub to the rotary supporting disc at the point at which it ordinarily supports the cone or stud, whereby a cone or spool of thread can be supported by said supporting disc at a point beyond its periphery and overlap the next disc of the machine.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto atfixed my signature.

CHARLES EGBERT HUTCHISQN. 

